1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a yarn supply system for automatically supplying a weft yarn to a downstream side device forming part of a loom, and more particularly to a yarn supply system including a yarn supply member changing apparatus for changing a used yarn supply member with a new one when the weft yarn of the used yarn supply member has been used up or broken.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of yarn supply systems have been proposed and put into practical use. One of the known yarn supply systems is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 1-256468. This conventional yarn supply system will be discussed with reference to FIGS. 24 and 25.
FIG. 24 shows a yarn supply member provided with a tray, used in the above conventional yarn supply system. The yarn supply member A includes a hollow bobbin B which is formed opened at its upper and lower ends and which is frustoconical. A weft yarn W is wound on the bobbin B. A bobbin holder E has a central hole D and a frustoconical peripheral outer surface, and is extended vertically from the tray C. The yarn supply member A is installed on the tray C by fitting the bobbin B on the bobbin holder E from the upper side. The tip end section and the terminal end section of the weft yarn W are connected with each other and inserted into the central hole D of the bobbin holder B.
FIG. 25 Shows the above conventional yarn supply system. In this yarn supply system, a plurality of looms G are regularly arranged longitudinally and laterally to take a so-called matrix arrangement, at the loom area F in a weaving factory. A single conveyer I is arranged in a zigzag line. Rails J are respectively installed at a location between adjacent loom lines including the plural looms and at a location between the loom area F and the yarn supply member stock area H. A yarn supply member changing robot K is driven along the rails J. Here, the tray C provided with the yarn supply-member A as shown in FIG. 24 is supplied to the conveyer I at an empty and filled yarn supply member changing station L, and then moved to a transferring station M in the yarn supply member stock area H under the action of the conveyer I so as to be received by the yarn supply member changing robot K. Then, the yarn supply member changing robot K carries the yarn supply member A with the tray C to a weft yarn supply station N of the loom G which indicates the requiring of the yarn supply member an amount of weft yarn of the plural looms G which has been used up. When the yarn supply member changing robot K reaches the weft yarn supply station N, it cuts a portion at which the tip and terminal end sections are connected with each other, of the weft yarn W of the carried weft yarn supply member A. The tip end section of this new yarn supply member A is connected with the terminal end of the weft yarn of a yarn supply member (not shown) which is now being used, and then the new yarn supply member A is supplied to the weft yarn supply station N together with the tray C. Additionally, after an empty bobbin (not shown) whose yarn has been used up is collected together with the tray from the weft yarn supply station N, the empty bobbin with the tray is carried to an empty bobbin receiving station P in the stock area H and is removed to the conveyer I. The empty bobbin on this conveyer I is carried to the empty and filled yarn supply member changing station L at which the empty bobbin is collected together with the tray.
However, the above conventional yarn supply system requires a device, for accomplishing such a complicated operation, in which the tip end section of the weft yarn W of the new yarn supply member A is connected with the terminal end section of the weft yarn of the yarn supply member which is currently being used. Such an operation is made at the weft yarn supply station N of the loom G after cutting the weft yarn of the new yarn supply member at a part at which the tip and terminal end sections of the new yarn supply member are connected with each other.